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The Republic of O'Equador (political brain teaser)
*''Note: The Republic of O'Equador is a fake island nation I created to raise some questions on dealing with the 3rd World, the Cold War, Sub-Saharan Africa and de-colonisation.'' Location It is twice the size of all of Mauritius combined and lies on the junction of the Greenwich Meridian and the Equator. Geology The rich volcanic soils of the island's central and northern zones proved well suited to for agriculture. The eastern coastal mountains are made of mostly basalt, scoria and pumice. Corroded phenocrysts of biotite and hornblende are commonly found in the central section of the mountains; they are surrounded by black rims of magnetite mixed with pale green augite. Most of the beaches are black due to mineral rich sands. The southern Mount Pedro (4,565ft) is a long dead volcano and is surrounded by a large solidified lava field made of mostly basalt, olivine, scoria and pumice. Luxullianite, grus sands, gabbro, slate, clay, claystone, shale, mica and quarts also occur in some southern places and central. Some chert is found on the northern and western coasts. Sandstone and limestone make up the the rest of the island. History Pre-independence The islands of O'Equador was uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived in 1475. The island was discovered by João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar. It was exsploered and thought to be good locations for bases to trade with the mainland. The sugar industry started in 1502 the Prince of Portugal charged duties on the island's sugar crop. French Buccaneers, British privateers, Spanish pirates, the Spanish navy Dutch traders, the French navy and the Portuguese navy fought over ownership of the island between 1750 and 1755. Coffee and cocoa were introduced as new cash crops in the 1850 and soon extensive white run plantations (known as "roças") that soon smothered all the good farm land. By 1908, it had become one of the world's largest producer of cocoa. It remains to this day, the country's most important crop, alongside coffee. Although Portugal officially abolished slavery in 1876, the roças system was often abused by land owners an the practice of forced paid labour continued. The Pal Mall Gazette newspaper and Scientific American magazine revealed in in words and pictures the continued use of slaves in the March of 1897. A British Bristol Beaufighter multi-role aircraft (in torpedo bomber configuration) and 2 American Beechcraft Model 18 trainer and utility aircraft (1 in each configuration) arrived on the island in 1946, but were lost due to heavy storm damage in the hurricane, rainstorms and floods of May 1957. A Douglas B-18 Bolo and 2 Replacement Beechcraft Model 18s would arrive in late 1957, after they were declared surplus to requirement by the USAF. The Portuguese also received an American Algonquin-class cutter patrol boat in 1947, which they gave to the island's colonial authorities in 1948. The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber that was used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. 3 of them were given to the islands colonial authorities by the USA in 1955, after they were declared surplus to requirement by the USAF. 8 American Piper PA-18 Super Cub Light utility and bush-flight aircraft arrived a year later. By the late 1950s, when other emerging nations across the African Continent demanded their independence, a small group of O'Equadorien dissidents joined the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), both of which eventually established its base in nearby Gabon. The hurricane, rainstorms and related flooding of May 1957 made 1,000 homeless, injured 125 and killed 8. The American Algonquin-class cutter patrol boat was destroyed in a separatist riot during the May of 1967. Post-independence The separatist cause began picking up momentum in the late 1960s, events moved quickly after the burning down of several land owners houses in 1972 and became independent after 2 days of separatist riots in the capital a few week after the overthrow of Portugal's Caetano dictatorship in April 1974. The Marxist separatist leader Dr. Bruno Pinto took over 2 days later as president. The island soon became a close Soviet allie and relations with Portugal declined sharply. The regime was of mixed value to the people since it became known for it's fixation with literacy campaigns, banning religion, shooting student protesters in Escobar (in all 65 died between 1972 and 1977) and reorganising agricultural management structures. The roads and bridges were upgraded between 1976 and 1977 around Rodriguez after a series of major road accidents in the early and mid 1970s. The Mil Mi-1 was a Soviet light utility helicopter, of which 2 were sent to the island by the USSR a weak after independence and 4 more were sent in in 1976. The Mil Mi-2 is a small, lightly armored turbine-powered ex-Soviet transport helicopter. It could also provide close air support when armed with 57 mm rockets and a 23 mm cannon. 2 were sent to the island by the USSR a weak after independence and 4 more were sent in in early 1977. 2 were destroyed in the 1977 civil war, which had stemmed from the ecanomic decline caused by the CIA torching most of the nation's sugar plantations in early 1976. There was a short civil wars in late 1977 and mid 1982, between which the pro-American Dr. Juan Sonríe ruled as the island became the eye of a political storm. The roads and bridges were upgraded between 1978 and 1979 around Escobar after a series of major road accidents in the mid and late 1970s. Escobar was opened up to tourism in 1978 and 2 small hotels opened in 1982. The pro-Portugal Dr Casimiro de Oliveira was elected president in 1987 amid several urban pro-Nigeria riots and the eaxidental killing of a Portugese tourist and botswanan jornalist by paniked cops in Escobar.. Life today Democracy was restored in the 1991 elections when the pro-Portuguese Luis D'Souza won the election. He sold off the state agricultural enterprises to various EU, Swiss, Brazilian and American firms. This raised $550,000,000 over 3 years and created 1,000 new jobs. Most of the money was spent on flood defences, roads, a new airport, a new sewerage works and a new heliport. Luis D'Souza was re-elected in 1996 and 2001. He retired and was replaced by his deputy, Marco Pax in 2006. Economic productivity, national dept, tractor importing and hotel building have all increased slowly since 2012. Economy Cassava is a highly productive national crop both in terms of food calories produced per unit land area-per unit of time, and is significantly higher than other staple crops like wheat, rice and maze. . Defense Air Force *Total of airfields= 2 airports, 2 airstrips and 1 heliport. *Total of bases= 1 barracks and 1 training camp and 1 depot. *Total= aircraft= 11. **Fighter bombers= 3 (North American Aviation P-51 Mustang). **Fighters= 4 (2 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 and 2 Sukhoi Su-9) **AWACs aircraft= 2 (Fairey Gannet AEW.3) **Training aircraft= 1 (Beechcraft Model 18). **Utility aircraft= 1 (Piper PA-18 Super Cub). *Total= Helicopters= 4. **Utility helicopters= 2 (1 Mil Mi-1A and 1 Aérospatiale Alouette III). **Close air support helicopter= 1 (Mil Mi-2) **Training helicopters: 1 (Hughes TH-55 Osage). *Personnel= 250. Navy *Total vessels= 7. **Mine layers= 2 (). **Mine sweepers= 2 (). **Patrol boats= 3 (). *Total of ports= 1 and 1 navel air station\heliport. *Total of bases= 1 barracks and 1 training camp and 1 depot. *Total of helicopters= 3 **Utility helicopters= 1 Mil Mi-1A. **AWACs helicopter= 2 Westland AEW Sea King *Total of aircraft= 4 **Utility aircraft= 2 Beechcraft Model 18. **Maritime patrol bomber flying boat= 2 Martin PBM Mariners *Personnel= 475. Army *Total of bases= 2 baraks, 3 depots and 2 training camps. *Total of helicopters= 10. **Troop helicopters= 2. (1 Mil Mi-2 and 1 Mil Mi-4). **Utility helicopters= 4. (2 Bell UH-1 Iroquois and 2 Hughes OH-6 Cayuse). **Training helicopters: 1 (Hughes TH-55 Osage). **Cargo helicopter= 2 (Mil Mi-8). **Medical evacuation (casivac\medivac)= 1 (Mil Mi-8). **Close air support helicopter= 1 (Mil Mi-2). *Utility aircraft= 6 (Piper PA-18 Super Cub) (1 is broken). *Mortar carriers= 2 (ShM vz.85 PRÁM-S). * Light tanks- 4 M41 Walker Bulldogs. *Total of artillery peaces= 8. ** 4 (). ** 4 (). *Total of armoured cars= 8 ** 4 Humber Pigs ** 4 Humber Armoured Cars *Trucks= 15 Mercedes-Benz NG 1017A. *Total of IFV= 14 **BMP-3= 2 **Ratel= 2 **Marder= 2 **Nagmachon= 2 **Puma= 2 **VBCI= 2 **Namer= 2 *SAM missiles- 30 General Dynamics FIM-43 Redeye man-portable surface-to-air missile *AA guns- 20 Bofors 40 mm gun anti-aircraft/multi-purpose autocannon *Personnel- 2,575. Marines *Total= aircraft= 3. *Total number of ports= 1. *Total of bases= 1 barracks and 1 training camp and 1 depot. *Total of airfields= 1 Navel air station. *Utility aircraft= 1 (Piper PA-18 Super Cub). *Utility helicopters= 1 (Mil Mi-1A). *Trucks= 3 (Mercedes-Benz NG 1017A). *Armored cars= 1 Humber Armoured Car *Patrol boats 1 (). *Personnel= 75. Elite (airborne) forces *Total= aircraft= 3. *Total of bases= 1 barracks and 1 training camp and 1 depot. *Total of airfields= 1 heliport. *Utility aircraft= 1 (Piper PA-18 Super Cub). *Close air support helicopter= 1 (Mil Mi-2) *Utility helicopters= 1 (Mil Mi-1A). *Personnel= 35. Radar unit 'Maria' **Total of airfields= 1 navel air station, 2 airstrips and 1 heliport. *Total of bases= 1 barracks and 1 training camp and 1 depot. *Total= aircraft= 9. **Maritime patrol bomber flying boat= 3 Martin PBM Mariners **Long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA)- 1 Avro Shackleton (in storage) **AWACs aircraft= 2 Fairey Gannet AEW.3 **Fighters= 2 (Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15) **Training aircraft= 1 (Beechcraft Model 18). **Utility aircraft= 1 (Piper PA-18 Super Cub). *Total= Helicopters= 5. **AWACs helicopter= 2 Westland AEW Sea King **Utility helicopters= 2 (1 Mil Mi-1A and 1 Aérospatiale Alouette III). **Training helicopters= 1 Hughes TH-55 Osage. *Personnel= 425. Transport . Energy . Diaspora . Civil airline It was founded in 1937 and flies occasionally to San Tome, Principe, Brazzaville, Lagos and Bissau. The 2 airports are at Santarém and Escobar. There is a heliport in São Vicente. *''The air fleet's inventry is-'' #de Havilland Dragon- 1937-1947 (scrapped). #de Havilland Express- 1947-1957 (scrapped). #de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide- 1947-1957 (scrapped). #Douglas DC-2- 1947-1957 (scrapped). #Douglas DC-6- 1957-1987 (scrapped). #Tupolev Tu-124- 1967-1987 (scrapped). #Yakovlev Yak-18T- 1967 to date (trainer). #Hawker Siddeley Trident- 1977 to date. #Mil Mi-8 Cargo helicopter- 2 from 1978 to date. #British Aerospace 146- 1985 to date. #Tupolev Tu-334- 2007 to date. Emergency services #Total number of jails- 3, each with 35 cells. #Total number of police stations- 6. #Total of tring schools- 1. #Total of depots- 1. #Total number of hospitals- 3, each with 125 beds. #Total number of heliports- 1. #Total number of navel air stations- 1. #Total of fire engins- 12 #Total of police vans- 10 #Total of ambulances- 12 #Total of helicopters- 14. ##Bell 212- 1 police. ##PZL W-3 Sokół- 1 ambulance service ##Westland WS-51 Dragonfly- 1 police. ##Sikorsky H-5- 1 police. ##Westland Widgeon- 1 police. ##Kaman HH-43 Huskie- 3 search and rescue and 1 fire brigade. ##Mil Mi-8 Cargo helicopter- 1 fire brigade. ##Sikorsky S-70C Firehawk- 1 brigade. ##Bell 205- 1 brigade. ##Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin- 1 police. #Personnel- Police 75\police servace as whole, 1,250. Fire brigade 200. Search and rescue 75. Air ambulance service 75\health service as a whole 2,500. Coastguard The coast guard was upgraded in 1995. The Portuguese received an American Algonquin-class cutter patrol boat in 1947, which they gave to the island's colonial authorities in 1948. It was destroyed in a separatist riot during the May of 1967. An American Point-class cutter patrol boat was bought for the coast guard in 1980 and was scrapped in 2015. #Total of bases= 1 barracks and 1 training camp and 1 depot. #Total number of ports- 1. #Total number of airports- 3. #Total number of heliports- 1. #Total number of navel air stations- 1. #Total of helicopters- 3. ##Bell 212- 1. ##PZL W-3 Sokół- 1 . ##Mil Mi-8 Cargo helicopter- 1. Total of aircraft- 2. #Utility aircraft= 1 (Piper PA-18 Super Cub). #Maritime patrol bomber flying boat= 1 Martin PBM Mariners #Total of ships- 4. ##Coast guard patrol boats- 2 (1 Marine Protector-class patrol boat and 1 Island-class patrol boat) guard. ##Coast guard coastal buoy tenders- 1 (Keeper-class cutter) guard. ##Medium endurance coast guard cutters- 1 (Famous-class cutters) guard. #Personnel- Coast guard 1,575. Imagery Sao tome se.jpg|The cathedral of São Tomé in Santarém. Grainsofparadisefruits.jpg|Ossame fruit in a Santarém market). São Tomé - Praia Café.jpg|Beach scenery near point Picard. African Leso.jpg|A market in Sao Tome West. Quizz # # # # # # # # # # OTL Photo-credits Sao tome se.jpg|The cathedral of São Tomé. Author: No machine-readable author provided. Kotoviski assumed (based on copyright claims). Grainsofparadisefruits.jpg|Ossame fruit in São Tomé and Príncipe. Author: Inna Moody / Flickr user: innamoo ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/moodyworld/ ). São Tomé - Praia Café.jpg|Beach scenery in São Tomé and Príncipe. Author: jmaximo from Lisboa, Portugal. African Leso.jpg|True to their colors and Kenyan culture, the Leso has not lost its touch. Author: Tmwatha. Also see *Kenya Category:Fictitious nation Category:Quizzes Category:Sub-Saharan Africa Category:The Republic of O'Equador (political brain teaser) Category:Politics